While the idea has occurred to many who have stared sadly at the closed sign of the local takeaway at 3am before stumbling home for a disappointing slice of toast, the successful execution took years of work.

 

It's the latest venture of the Perth businessman Peter Malone, best known for his turn as managing director of collapsed² telecommunications company New Tel, the $2.5bn business he founded with his best man in 1988.

 

New Tel was publicly listed in 1999 and raised $150m from the market before its promise of being "the America Online of China" fell flat. When the company went into administration in 2002 it owed creditors³ almost $50m. Both Telstra and Optus were owed $10m.

 

Malone, who heads The Hot Chips Company, said the vending machine's development began more than 10 years ago when his group of business associates began tracking failed attempts by other companies.

 

He said their machine, which has just passed the trial stage and will start commercial production this year, fried the chips in a 10-litre vat⁴ of rice bran oil in the belly⁵ of the machine.

 

The technology used in the final design, which relies on a robotic arm to catch the chips in a cup and then serve them up to the waiting customer, has only become available in recent years.

 

Malone suggested the chips could qualify for the Heart Foundation tick because they were fried in cholesterol-free oil. He said the risk of food poisoning was minimal⁶ because "potatoes are very much an inert⁷ product".

点击收听单词发音